1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a generating device for a production system simulator which rapidly, accurately, easily and automatically generates a production system simulator which supports a manufacturing system in design, operation and improvement by evaluating it quantitatively.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Recently, as production systems are getting to be higher degree and more complicated than ever, for the purpose of supporting a production system in design, operation and improvement, a production system simulator which can evaluate the production system quantitatively is more often utilized than before. In the past, the following two methods have been used for the utilization of production system simulators: (1) a method for generating a production system simulator with the use of a general purpose simulation language; (2) a method in which a general purpose production system simulator is used.
In the former case, the expert has to collect the production system parameters necessary for generating a production system simulator by using a general purpose simulation language upon visiting a production site, and every detail is programmed by the expert with the general purpose simulation language to generate a simulator to be exclusively used for the production system. Therefore, there are problems that a simulator cannot be generated without an expert and that the work to generate a simulator is complicated and also requires a long time for completing it.
In the latter case, an expert is not needed but the parameters for modeling a production system are limited to the standard elements provided for the simulator, so that there is a problem that characteristics inherent in individual production system are not evaluated.